neolog (u/neolog) - Readit News

neolog commented on A lot of people are getting the OnlyFans story wrong twitter.com/postcultrev/s... · Posted by u/deegles

detcader · 4 years ago

In which other industry is a massive subset of workers r-ped each day?

There were children working in Industrial Revolution factories that ended up perfectly healthy. You and I recognize the practice as immoral (I assume?) because the exceptions don't matter

neolog · 4 years ago

Forced labor and violent abuse are common in many industries eg [1][2]. That said, abuse in the sex industry is more widespread and horrible than I realized. Knowing what I know now I would've responded differently.

[1] https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/jessicagarrison/the-new...

[2] https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/forced-labour/policy-areas...

neolog commented on A lot of people are getting the OnlyFans story wrong twitter.com/postcultrev/s... · Posted by u/deegles

detcader · 4 years ago

'men veering wildly between "sex work is a choice" and "these women will die if they can't do sex work" - pick one! it can't be both.' [1]

[1] https://twitter.com/newthoughtcrime/status/14286889078232064...

neolog · 4 years ago

The four women I quoted are pointing out that workers prefer to have safer venues for doing business, more community connections, and better legal support for their business. To avoid cases of exploitation, improving social welfare is a good response.

Sex work by itself is neither liberating nor exploitative, just as any other domain of work isn't. That determination applies to the circumstance of the work, not the domain. Better policies can improve protections for sex workers and prevent coercive abuse as they have done in other industries.

neolog commented on Princeton Researchers Who Built a CSAM Scanning System Urge Apple to Not Use It macrumors.com/2021/08/20/... · Posted by u/nathan_phoenix

certeoun · 4 years ago

@sam0x17, are you aware of this finding?:

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/perspectives-on-poli...

> Despite the seemingly strong empirical support in previous studies for theories of majoritarian democracy, our analyses suggest that majorities of the American public actually have little influence over the policies our government adopts. Americans do enjoy many features central to democratic governance, such as regular elections, freedom of speech and association, and a widespread (if still contested) franchise. But we believe that if policymaking is dominated by powerful business organizations and a small number of affluent Americans, then America’s claims to being a democratic society are seriously threatened.

Especially the part with "policymaking is dominated by powerful business organizations and a small number of affluent Americans" made me think that it is not only those elites who do this or businesses. Does this mean that the government (NSA) doesn't care what we want? They are allowed to essentially patronize us because we do not know any better? Can you explain to me why the NSA is spying on us despite it being unpopular? We didn't ask to be spied on, right? I don't understand politics or the role of government anymore. I am utterly confused. Politics is so contradictory I cannot wrap my head around it. Or perhaps, I am missing something?

neolog · 4 years ago

The NSA's mandate concerns sigint, so that's what they do. Other entities (eg the PCLOB and federal courts) can constrain it, and the NSA constrains itself proactively to avoid embarrassments. The current result is a tradeoff between surveillance/security and privacy: NSA policy is that they can listen to foreign suspects' conversations, including if Americans are on the call. Metadata is collected on calls two "hops" from a suspect. Whether it's the right tradeoff is an interesting debate.

neolog commented on A lot of people are getting the OnlyFans story wrong twitter.com/postcultrev/s... · Posted by u/deegles

detcader · 4 years ago

"Do you think all violence is wrong, or only murder?" Of course there are degrees. I don't really see the gotcha here -- if you found out your favorite anime or Pixar movie was animated by slaves, would you still be able to enjoy it?

neolog · 4 years ago

It wasn't supposed to be a gotcha. Coerced work is bad, especially so if the work is damaging to the worker. My point is that this isn't specific to sex work. Products produced by workers under wage slavery can be avoided using supply chain management, while promoting ethical labor practices that permit workers security and independence. A tradeoff exists between reducing risk of nonconsenting work while enabling consenting work.

Similarly, policies are available that can enable safe and consensual sex work. Supposedly "well intentioned" policies that reduce workers' social and financial support system are moves in the wrong direction: abuse is enabled by isolation and marginalization.

neolog commented on A lot of people are getting the OnlyFans story wrong twitter.com/postcultrev/s... · Posted by u/deegles

scoopertrooper · 4 years ago

It's easy to criticise the article in general terms, but what specifically did you find problematic with the article itself?

Go ahead and have a read, I'll wait.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/04/opinion/sunday/pornhub-ra...

neolog · 4 years ago

The article uses innuendo to suggest that nonconsensual videos were very popular on the platform and that its proposed policies will improve performers' conditions. These questions are not seriously examined, but the article is focused on sensational stories and big numbers while skipping context and consequences.

https://newrepublic.com/article/160488/nick-kristof-holy-war...